South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 43 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Article 3 - REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHER EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION REGULATIONS
Section 43-64 - Requirements for Certification at the Advanced Level

1. Master's degree

2. Valid South Carolina Educator's Professional Certificate at the elementary level

3. Minimum qualifying score(s) on the area examinations required by the State Board of Education

4. Verification of three years' teaching experience, including at least one year of teaching in grades PreK- 8

5. Completion of an advanced program approved by the State Board of Education for the training of elementary principals and supervisors Note: Eligibility for Tier 2 certification requires successful completion of the Principal Induction Program (PIP) in the principal's first year, as well as an overall rating of Proficient or Exemplary on the Program for Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Principal Performance (PADEPP) evaluation instrument in the second year of employment as a principal.

1. Master's degree

2. Valid South Carolina Professional Certificate at the secondary level

3. Minimum qualifying score(s) on the area examination(s) required by the State Board of Education

4. Verification of three years' teaching experience, including at least one year of teaching in grades 7-12

5. Completion of an advanced program approved by the State Board of Education for the training of secondary principals and supervisors Note: Eligibility for Tier 2 certification requires successful completion of the PIP in the principal's first year, as well as an overall rating of Proficient or Exemplary on the PADEPP evaluation instrument in the second year of employment as a principal.

1. Master's degree

2. Verification of at least three years of successful experience in leadership, supervision, upper-level management, or other position in a business, corporation, agency, or the military with responsibilities similar to those of a principal

3. Recommendation for elementary or secondary principal certification (Tier 1 Alternative Route for Career Changers) by the superintendent of a South Carolina public school district interested in employing the individual as an assistant principal

4. Elementary or Secondary Principal Certification (Tier 1 Alternative Route for Career Changers. A one-year certificate that may be extended annually provided that the following requirements are met:

5. Elementary or Secondary Principal Certificate (Tier 2). In order to be eligible to advance to an elementary or secondary principal certificate (Tier 2), the educator must have successfully completed all requirements as an assistant principal for Years One, Two, and Three, as described above. Additionally, the educator must successfully complete the PIP, receive an overall rating of Proficient or Exemplary on the PADEPP evaluation instrument in the second year of employment as a principal, and receive a recommendation for certificate advancement from the employing school district. If the overall rating on the PADEPP evaluation instrument in the second year of employment as a principal is Needs Improvement, the principal will remain on Tier 1 certification until the SCDE receives verification from the employing school district that the principal has achieved an overall rating of Proficient or Exemplary on PADEPP.

1. Current Tier 1 or Tier 2 Elementary and/or Secondary School Principal and Supervisor

2. Successful completion of the academy

Endorsement Grade Span: PreK-12

1. Master's degree

2. Valid South Carolina Professional Certificate at the elementary, middle, or secondary level

3. Minimum qualifying score(s) on the area examination(s) required by the State Board of Education

4. Verification of a total of three years' experience as a PreK-12 or postsecondary teacher and two years as a school or school district administrator, postsecondary administrator, or school business administrator

5. Completion of an advanced program approved by the State Board of Education for the training of school superintendents

1. Master's degree

2. Verification of at least ten years of successful experience in a senior position(s) of leadership, such as chief executive officer in a business, corporation or agency, military officer, or other position with responsibilities similar to those of a district superintendent

3. Recommendation for certification by a local school board in a South Carolina public school district interested in employing the individual as a superintendent

4. Submission of a plan of study by the local school board that the individual must complete within three years to include, at a minimum, the areas of curriculum and instruction, school finance, and school law. The candidate must also submit a passing score on area examination(s) required by the State Board of Education for district superintendents within the first year of employment as a superintendent.

5. Issuance of an initial certificate for one year. This certificate may be extended annually for two additional years at the request of the local school board based on verification of successful performance reviews.

6. Issuance of a professional certificate upon completion of the specified program of study, and minimum qualifying scores on the required certification examination(s), and the recommendation by the local school board after three years of successful service as superintendent.

1. Valid South Carolina secondary principal or supervisor certificate and certification in one of the following areas:

Agriculture

Family and Consumer Sciences

Health Occupations

Industrial Technology

Business and Marketing Technology

Career Technology Education

OR

2. Valid South Carolina secondary principal or supervisor certificate and three years of experience as a director or assistant director in a Vocational/Technology/Career Center

OR

3. Master's degree from a State Board of Education approved teacher education program in vocational education, including fifteen semester hours in administration and certification in one of the following areas:

Agriculture

Family and Consumer Sciences

Health Occupations

Industrial Technology

Business and Marketing Technology

Career and Technology Education

The fifteen semester hours in administration required above are to be selected from the areas listed below:

General School Administration School Personnel Administration

Techniques of Supervision

School Law

School Finance

Human Growth and Development

Curriculum Development

AND

4. Minimum qualifying score(s) on the area examination(s) required by the State Board of Education

5. Verification of five years' experience as a preK-12 or postsecondary teacher, school or school district administrator, postsecondary administrator, or business administrator

1. Master's degree

2. Completion of an advanced program approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of school counselors

3. Minimum qualifying score(s) on the area examination(s) required by the State Board of Education

1. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST I

2. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST II

3. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST III

1. Master's degree

2. Completion of an advanced program approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of speech language therapists

3. Minimum qualifying score(s) on the area examination(s) required by the State Board of Education

1. Master's degree

2. Completion of an advanced program approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of media specialists or school library media specialists

3. Minimum qualifying score(s) on the area examination(s) required by the State Board of Education.